


as old as time

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Beauty and the Beast AU, F/F, warnings: violence; guns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:07:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27124975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: “This is Alyssa. She’s sheltering from the storm, and she’ll be joining us for dinner.”“Like hell she is.”“I have already invited her, and it’s rude to rescind an invitation.”Alyssa looks up at Angie and murmurs, “I can just-”She goes quiet as Angie’s grip on her shoulder tightens.The woman on the landing narrows her eyes. “Fine."
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 35
Kudos: 125





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi brie

_The shepherds tell tales of a monster._

_It rips apart sheep that wander too far, stalks hunters like they’re prey._

_Don’t wander alone when the moon is full._

_Don’t let your flock stray._

_Don’t go into the woods._

_Or the beast will find you._

* * *

Alyssa Greene shivers as she tries to find her way through the trees, a storm raging around her. She struggles through the brush, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders, and flinches as she nearly walks directly into a tall stone wall.

Frowning, Alyssa follows the wall around to an iron gate with a circled ‘N’ atop each side. Beyond the gate, up a long stone pathway, sits an old manor, dark red brick and white stone and ivy creeping up the columns of the porch.

With thunder rumbling above her, Alyssa opens the gate as far as she can without disturbing the lock and slips onto the grounds, hurrying up the path and onto the porch, trembling.

She’s debating whether to knock on the door when a hooded figure walks from behind the manor with a basket in her hands and steps up onto the porch.

The figure pauses at the door and sets the basket down, then lowers her hood and turns to Alyssa.

“Oh, you poor thing,” the blonde woman says, her voice light and kind. “Did you get caught in the storm?”

“Y-Yes, ma’am,” Alyssa stammers. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to intrude on your home. I was just looking for shelter until the rain stops.”

“It’s not an intrusion at all. I’m Angie. Angie Dickinson.”

“I’m Alyssa.”

“Would you like something to eat?”

“Uhm. You don’t need to-”

“It’s not a bother. In fact, I insist. Who knows how long this mess will last?” Angie picks up her basket and opens the door, then ushers Alyssa inside. “You can hang your cloak up on the coat rack so that it can dry.”

Alyssa does as she’s told, noticing two other people lingering in one of the doorways to the entryway to her right. Once she looks at them fully, they walk in, the older woman looking immediately at Angie.

“Who is this?”

“This is Alyssa. She’s sheltering from the storm.”

The older woman’s intense gaze lands on Alyssa, who nearly shrinks back. “Alyssa, huh? Where are you from?”

“...Edgewater?”

“Tsk. Everyone there is a fool.”

Alyssa snorts out a laugh. “You won’t see me arguing much there.”

The woman pauses before smiling. “I’m Dee Dee Allen. I was a governess several years ago, but I have since retired. Not due to my age, but simply because my charge is no longer of school age.”

“And also because of your age,” the man next to her mumbles. He beams and shakes Alyssa’s hand before Dee Dee can properly glare at him. “Barry Glickman, valet. If you need anything, just let me know.”

“Trent!” Angie yells. “We have a visitor!”

Another man sticks his head out of a small door. “Do you have the carrots?”

Alyssa blinks. “What?”

“He was talking to me,” Angie says. She takes the basket to him. “If you have any problems with them, I’ll shoot you. You know that I only grow the best vegetables out there.”

“And I only use the best ingredients. I _was_ trained at-”

“Le Cordon Bleu,” Angie, Dee Dee, and Barry say simultaneously.

“Wow, really?”

His eyes snap to Alyssa. “Why, yes! I, Trent Oliver, chef extraordinaire, have-”

Angie shakes her head as Trent continues to ramble. “Don’t feed into his ego. You’ll regret it.”

“I’m starting to see that.”

_“What is going on down here?”_

Alyssa’s gaze snaps to the top of the stairs, and she swears her heart stutters.

The woman on the upper landing is her age, with wavy blonde hair cut to her chin and an Irish accent. She’s wearing dark brown boots, black pants, a brown shirt, and a maroon jacket, and she looks furious when she sees Alyssa. “Who is that?”

Angie calmly puts an arm around Alyssa’s shoulders. “This is Alyssa. She’s sheltering from the storm, and she’ll be joining us for dinner.”

“Like hell she is.”

“I have already invited her, and it’s rude to rescind an invitation.”

Alyssa looks up at Angie and murmurs, “I can just-”

She goes quiet as Angie’s grip on her shoulder tightens.

The woman on the landing narrows her eyes. “Fine,” she says through gritted teeth. “But you lot are responsible for her.” Without another word, she turns on her heel and storms back up the stairs.

“Who was that?” Alyssa asks.

“Emma Nolan,” Dee Dee sighs. “Did you see the ‘N’ on the gate outside? This place belongs to her.”

“If the owner doesn’t want me here, perhaps I should go.”

“Nonsense.” Barry takes her hand and pulls her towards one of the rooms. “She should see more people her own age anyway. She just… is a bit grumpy. Generally. Don’t take it personally.”

Alyssa turns her head and glances back upstairs, and, if she didn’t know any better, she’d swear that she saw a glimpse of Emma looking back down at her. “I’ll do my best not to.”

* * *

Dinner is an awkward affair.

Alyssa is seated at one end of a long table, Emma at the other, and the employees on the sides, though none of them particularly talk to her. She briefly met the house chauffeur, Sheldon Saperstein, but that was about the extent of the conversation.

“I hope everyone is enjoying their salads,” Trent says as he leans out of the kitchen. “Just checking, Alyssa, how do you want your steak cooked?”

“Oh, medium rare?”

He looks like he’s about to cry as he nods. “Yes. Thank you. A sensible person. _Thank you.”_ He stares at Emma as he heads back into the kitchen.

Emma rolls her eyes and speaks for the first time since she sat down. “There’s nothing wrong with a well-done steak, Trent.”

 _“Everything is wrong with a well-done steak!”_ Trent yells, rather high-pitched.

Alyssa takes a drink to cover her laugh.

“So, Alyssa, what do you like to do in your free time?” Angie asks.

“I like to read a lot. I know most people in town think I’m strange for it, because it’s not really something useful for a girl to do, but I enjoy it anyway.”

Angie gives a pointed look at Emma, who’s focusing on hunting down the black olives in her salad. She clears her throat, then there’s a quiet _thud_ that Alyssa guesses is Barry either kicking Emma or kicking Emma’s chair, because the woman looks up suddenly.

“Uhm. I read, too. Nothing wrong with it,” Emma mumbles.

“Really?” Alyssa leans forward eagerly. “What do you like to read?”

Emma shrugs. “Bunch of stuff. There’s a library here.”

“Oh my God! I’ve always dreamed of having my own library. I can only read one book at a time when I borrow them from the bookshop in town. Mr. Hawkins lets me take one home and then return it without having to pay for it, since I always take such good care of them.”

“You should show her the library after dinner,” Barry says.

“I would’ve assumed that you gave her the whole tour already.”

Barry gives Emma a grin. “I did, but you locked yourself in the library the whole time.”

Emma just stares at him for a moment, then goes back to finding olives, the tips of her ears flushed pink.

* * *

Dee Dee, Angie, Barry, Trent, and Sheldon finish their meals quickly then flee, leaving Alyssa alone with Emma. After a long awkward silence, Emma says, “I’m sorry about them.”

“I like them, they’re just… odd.”

Emma sighs and looks up at her. “They think I don’t get out enough. That doesn’t mean they should’ve forced you to stay for dinner.”

“With that storm, I didn’t mind staying, I just… You didn’t seem to want me here.”

“I don’t.”

Alyssa blinks. “Oh. Well.”

“It’s nothing against you personally, I just don’t want strangers in the manor. It’s not good for you here. You belong in town with regular people.”

“You say that like you aren’t a regular person,” Alyssa laughs.

Emma sets her fork down and stands, taking a final sip of her wine. “Would you like to see the library?”

Alyssa finishes off her own glass of wine. “I would love to.”

* * *

At the top of the steps, beyond two oak doors, sits the most beautiful library Alyssa has ever seen.

Floor to ceiling shelves on each wall, rolling bookcase ladders, a fireplace across from the doors, large comfy-looking chairs with footstools, tall windows in the corners to bring in natural light.

“Wow,” Alyssa whispers. “It’s gorgeous.” She steps up onto one of the ladders to read the spines of the books along the shelves. “I’ve never even heard of some of these books. And these ones… what language are they?”

Emma sets a hand against the ladder and looks up at her. “Most of the books in here are in English, but some are in Irish and a few are in French.”

“You can read those?”

“I knew Irish before I knew English. My mother was French. She didn’t teach me much, but I was curious about it. I don’t have much else to do with my time.”

Alyssa looks down at her and smiles. “You’re rather interesting, Emma Nolan, do you know that?”

Emma clears her throat and takes a step back. “Right.”

“Oh, is that an astronomical clock?” Alyssa asks, her gaze falling on the wooden clock ticking away on the fireplace mantle.

“Yes. You recognize it?”

Alyssa steps down from the ladder and walks over to get a better look. “I’ve read about them, but I’ve never seen one in person before. How much does this one tell you?”

“Just the time and the phases of the moon.”

“It’s very pretty.” Alyssa squints. “Let’s see… Looks like we’re in a… waxing gibbous moon. Oh, that means it’s almost full. I do love when the moon is full.”

“Never been a fan, personally.” Emma adjusts the collar of her jacket. “The storm has cleared up. You should be getting back. I’m sure your husband will be looking for you.”

Alyssa scoffs. “What on Earth makes you think I’m married?”

“I-I’m sorry, I just assumed…”

“That because I’m the right age I must’ve been handed over to one of the idiot boys - sorry, ‘men’ - in town by now?”

Emma just puts her hands in her pockets and says nothing.

“Sorry,” Alyssa sighs and steps down from the ladder. “People seem to have decided that I’m the Prettiest Girl in Town and that that means that I’m some prize for the strongest, wealthiest guy to win or something. It was already annoying the moment it started. It would be nice to stay somewhere like this, away from their nonsense.”

“You can’t, unfortunately.”

“I know. Do you ever go into town?”

“No.”

“If you did, you’d know the men I’m talking about. They hang out at the tavern when they aren’t out hunting. Wealthy from inheritance. All a bunch of fools.”

“I knew a man like that once,” Emma says as she heads back towards the door. “I didn’t like him much.”

Alyssa follows her. “So you can see why I’m not married.”

“Yes.”

“There are other reasons, too, but I doubt you’re interested in them.”

“Perhaps not today. Angie!”

As they reach the top of the stairs, Angie walks out into the entryway below them. “Yes?”

Emma gestures towards Alyssa. “The storm’s over. She should leave.”

“You don’t need to rush the poor girl out of the house,” Angie scolds.

“Angie,” Emma says, quiet but firm.

“Fine, fine. But I’m walking her back to town. The paths from here can get confusing.”

“Do whatever you want. Just make sure the gate is closed behind you.”

Alyssa tries to give her a smile. “Thank you for-”

Emma turns and walks back into the library, closing the doors behind her.

“Okay,” Alyssa mutters.

“Don’t mind her, honey,” Angie says, retrieving Alyssa’s cloak off of the coat rack as she joins her downstairs. “Dee Dee failed at teaching her social grace.”

“And yet, somehow, I find it more refreshing than the grossly flattering and self-serving behavior shown by the men in town.”

“Hm. Refreshing. I don’t think anyone has ever described Emma like that before.”

Alyssa laughs as she follows Angie outside. “Maybe I’m not anyone.”

Angie gives her a long look. “No, maybe you’re not.”

* * *

On the upper floor, Emma leans against a window and watches Alyssa walk down the path towards the front gate. “She’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen,” she says quietly.

Behind her, Barry and Dee Dee high-five.

“I heard that,” Emma growls. “Leave her alone.”

“We didn’t do anything,” Barry protests.

Emma sighs and runs a hand through her hair, shifting her position to get one final glimpse of Alyssa before she and Angie disappear from view. “Sure you didn’t.”

* * *

For the fourth time in an hour, Alyssa ignores a man as he tries to get her attention.

“Did you see the bear on display in the tavern now?” John Philip asks, keeping pace with her as she speed-walks through the streets of Edgewater. He puffs out his chest. “I hunted that beast down myself. Didn’t even let Edgar or Daniel help.”

“Amazing,” Alyssa says dryly.

“You really should choose a man who can protect you from ruffians _and_ can provide for you. Who better than an _expert_ hunter like myself?”

“Look-”

“Ah, Miss Greene, pleasure to see you here!”

Alyssa lifts her head, relieved to see Barry as he walks towards them and immediately inserts himself in between her and John.

“Excuse me,” John says, annoyed. “We were having a conversation.”

“I doubt it was that interesting. I need to speak with Miss Greene about something very important, son. Sorry to interrupt, but I’ll be borrowing her. Have a nice day!” Barry puts his arm around Alyssa’s shoulders before John can reply and redirects her down a side street.

Once they’re far enough away, Alyssa sighs heavily. “Thank you.”

“You looked like you were about ready to drown yourself in the fountain,” Barry mutters. “I don’t blame you. He looked like a prick.”

Alyssa snorts out a laugh. “He is. His name’s John, and he’s one of several idiots in this town who won’t leave me alone. They think I need to marry one of them for _my own protection.”_

“That sounds less like a wholesome promise and more like a threat.”

“They’re just superstitious. They believe in the monster.”

Barry pauses. “Monster?”

 _“Supposedly_ something lives in the woods and slaughters sheep, sometimes reckless hunters. I’ve gone into those woods a thousand times and I’ve never seen anything of the sort. I don’t believe in tall tales meant to scare children.”

Barry lowers his arm from her shoulders and puts his hands in his pockets. “Well, there are always other tales. Perhaps the one they’ve told just isn’t believable enough for you.”

Alyssa raises an eyebrow. “Yeah? Do you know a more believable one?”

“I know of one I was told almost twenty years ago, a story from a far off land. A child left home by themselves by their parents with only two instructions: Don’t touch any of their parents’ belongings, and don’t let any strangers into their parents’ home. It was a stormy night of a full moon, and an old woman came to the child’s door. The woman asked for shelter, but, scared, and under their parents’ instructions, the child refused. Unfortunately, the woman revealed herself to be a fairy, there to test the home’s charity, and she took the price for failure upon the child. They would be a beast at will, and by force upon full moon nights, just like the night when the fairy was denied.”

Alyssa feels a shiver run up her spine. “I’ve read stories like that before. They’ve always struck me as cruel. No child would - or at least, _should_ \- let a stranger into their home.”

“Magic can be cruel.”

“You say that like you have experience with it.” Alyssa gives him a strained smile. “Don’t tell me you believe in the monster stories, too, Barry.”

“Maybe not monster stories. But maybe stories of a beast.” He pats her shoulder. “I should be going. I’m just on a once a month trip for food and supplies, and Emma will be expecting me back. She’ll want me to be sure the gate is locked up by sundown.”

“She’s very particular about that gate, isn’t she? What does she think is going to get in?”

“It’s more about what might get out.”

“What-”

“Anyway, perhaps I’ll see you some other time, Alyssa. Have a nice day!” Barry turns and hurries off.

Alyssa watches him go, curiosity creeping into the back of her head. “Don’t do it, Alyssa,” she mumbles. “They don’t want you there. Don’t do it.”

She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath, then heads for the path into the forest, back towards Emma Nolan’s manor.


	2. Chapter 2

It’s starting to get dark by the time Alyssa finds her way to the manor. She maneuvers through the gate and heads for the front door, her way lit by the moon above her.

She’s not sure what she’ll say when she gets there. She just wants to see them again.

As she gets closer to the porch she stops, feeling like she’s being watched. Her gaze goes to the windows first, but then she looks at the brush, where she thinks she sees glowing golden eyes peering out at her.

“Who’s there?” she asks softly.

The eyes get lower to the ground, as if something is crouching down.

Before Alyssa can step closer, the door swings open, and Angie hurries onto the porch. “Alyssa? What are you doing here?”

“I-I… I wanted to swing by and say hello, and I felt…” Alyssa trails off, unable to rationalize an explanation. She glances at the brush and sees that the eyes are gone.

“You… wanted to come back?” Angie asks, surprised.

“Well, yeah. I like you guys.” Alyssa gives half a laugh. “Even Emma, for all her lack of tact.”

“Maybe…” Angie shakes her head. “No, that’s-”

She’s interrupted by a howl that seems far too close to be coming from the woods outside the walls.

“We need to go inside,” Angie says abruptly, coming off the porch and grabbing Alyssa’s arm.

“What do you mean? What was that?”

“We’ll talk about it later.” Angie pulls her up onto the porch and into the house before muttering, “Full moons are dangerous, girl. I hope you never have to learn just how much.”

* * *

“I baked a pie,” Trent says happily as Alyssa sits down at the table. “Would you like a slice?”

“Uhm… Sure?” Alyssa fidgets in her seat as the other employees of Nolan Manor stare at her. “I’m… sorry for intruding.”

“Most people who wander out here don’t have any interest in coming back.” Dee Dee leans forward. “What makes you different?”

“Curiosity, I guess. This is a strange little world you’ve all built, and it’s interesting to me. And I don’t know. It’s much more peaceful than town. I know Emma wasn’t thrilled to have me here, but… I thought maybe if I came on another day I might’ve caught her in a better mood.”

Sheldon coughs on a laugh. “Oh, honey, that’s unlikely.”

“Is it okay if I at least talk to her?”

“She’s… resting.” Dee Dee sighs and glances at Barry, who nods. “You’re welcome to stay the night and talk to her in the morning.”

“Really?”

“Likely against my better judgement, yes, really.”

Trent pushes out of the kitchen, grinning, carrying a plate with the largest slice of pie Alyssa has ever seen. “Here you go! I hope you enjoy it!”

“Thank you, Trent,” Alyssa says with a smile.

“Trent, Alyssa is going to join us for breakfast tomorrow,” Angie says.

He gives her a serious look. “Do you eat your eggs raw?”

“...No? Who the hell woul-”

“Excellent! Then I will be more than happy to have you join us!” He turns and heads back into the kitchen.

Alyssa watches him as she takes a forkful of food. “He is a…  _ strange _ man.”

Angie shakes her head slowly. “Yes. Yes he is.”

* * *

Emma stands in her study, her right hand flexing as a wound in her palm slowly heals. “What is she doing here?”

“She wanted to be here. Wanted to talk to you, actually. She thinks you’ll turn her down if she asks to hang around.”

“I will say no.”

Barry sighs. “Emma. You need someone your own age to talk to. We can’t give you everything.”

“I don’t expect you to.” Emma flinches and brushes her thumb over the gash. “But I can’t have someone getting close and then just… It’s not worth it.”

“You need a distraction. Hell, maybe even five minutes of a life. Don’t deny yourself that before you even have the chance to  _ try.” _ Barry sets a hand on her shoulder. “And how did you hurt yourself?”

“When I was trying to stay hidden I stepped in one of Angie’s rose bushes. Damn thorns.”

Barry snorts. “You’re lucky Angie didn’t hurt you before the roses could.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Emma puts her hands in her pockets and sighs. “I’ll talk to Alyssa. But I’m not making any promises.”

“All I ask is for some effort. That’s not much, is it?”

Emma gives him a hard look.

Barry rolls his eyes. “Oh, yes, I feel so threatened. It’s like being glared at by a little tiny baby puppy.”

Emma growls under her breath and stalks out of the study.

* * *

  
Alyssa is reading the spines of some of the books in the library when Emma’s voice behind her says, “I wasn’t expecting to see you again.”

_ “God!”  _ Alyssa gasps, spinning around with her hand over her heart. “You scared me.”

Emma takes a step back, looking uncomfortable. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I just didn’t hear you come into the room. You’re so quiet.”

“Soft steps, I guess.” Emma puts her hands into her pockets. “Why are you here, Alyssa?”

“You’re interesting. I find this place pretty fascinating, and my curiosity got the best of me.”

Emma starts a slow pace in front of her, looking at her intently. “Why are you  _ really _ here, Alyssa?” she asks softly.

Alyssa swallows, pausing as she follows Emma’s gaze. “I’m tired,” she admits in a whisper. “I can’t go anywhere in town without some stupid fucking man harassing me. And to make it worse, people think that I should just marry one of them to make it stop. I don’t  _ want _ to. I don’t want any of them. I-I don’t want a man at all. There’s nowhere I can go where I can just relax for five minutes.”

“You’re different and you just need a break,” Emma mutters. “I suppose that’s something I can understand.” She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. “Okay.”

Alyssa’s eyes widen. “Okay?”

Emma stops pacing. “I’ve read every book in this library. Somebody else might as well have a chance to get some use out of them. You’re welcome to come here and do so. Just… stay out of my study.” She gives Alyssa a serious look. “And don’t come on the night of a full moon again. I- The woods are dangerous, Alyssa Greene.”

“So everyone says.”

“There’s a difference between says and knows. I  _ know.” _ Emma turns and starts to walk towards the door. “You can stay as long as you like.”

“Why?”

Emma stops but doesn’t turn around. “...Huh?”

“Why do you  _ know _ the woods are dangerous?”

“I have my experiences. Living out here lends itself to that type of knowledge.”

“I would imagine so, but-”

Emma turns on her heel, and Alyssa’s words die in her throat when she sees the irises of her eyes flicker gold. “Leave it alone. If you want to be here, Alyssa, you have to learn to leave it alone. You won’t like what you find if you don’t.”

Alyssa thinks for a moment before saying, “What makes you think so?”

Emma laughs. “I don’t even like what I’ve found, and I’ve had fourteen years to get used to it. So do yourself a favor and leave it alone. Don’t make me regret letting you be here.”

“Okay,” Alyssa says with a small nod. She waits until Emma leaves, then turns to look at the astronomical clock on the mantle. “Emma Nolan,” she murmurs. “What are you?”


	3. Chapter 3

Alyssa waits until her third week in the manor before she starts looking around.

The building is old but well-tended, with the middle floor primarily dedicated to the library, a guest room, and what seem to be Emma’s bedroom and study. The lower floor is primarily dedicated to the kitchen, dining room, entryway, drawing room, and conservatory. She doesn’t go up to the third floor, but, from what she can tell, it’s where the employees’ rooms all are.

Nothing about the setup is strange to her, except for the fireplaces. There are a few throughout the building, and, in every single one, the tools for tending to a fire are all made of brass instead of the iron she’s used to seeing.

In fact, the more she looks, the more she doesn’t see any iron inside the manor at all.

“Hey, Trent,” Alyssa says as she wanders around the kitchen, casual. “My mother usually cooks pork in a cast iron skillet, but I noticed that you’re using copper. Is it better?”

“Oh.” He laughs and waves his hand. “At Cordon Bleu, we  _ only  _ use copper pots and pans for cooking.”

“Really?”

Trent looks a little hesitant, then grins. “Yep! Really!” He passes her a spoon. “Would you like to try the sauce?”

“I- Actually, yeah, I’m sure it’s amazing.”

* * *

The day after the next full moon, Alyssa walks the manor grounds and is stunned by what she sees.

Broken branches seven feet off the ground, claw marks on trees, paw prints in the mud along the wall behind the manor.

“Yeah,” Alyssa murmurs to herself, crouching down and looking at a tuft of red fur caught on a thorn. “Something’s going on at this place.”

* * *

“Hi, Kevin, can I ask you a question?”

The blacksmith looks up from his work and grins. “Sure you can. What do you need?”

“I’ve been… discussing properties of metals with a friend of mine, and they  _ insist _ that iron is considered magical. Do you know anything about that?”

Kevin shrugs. “For superstitions, sure. Iron is supposed to ward off fairies, witches, ghosts, bunch of supernatural things. Are you feeling superstitious?”

“Maybe just a little. I think I saw someone using it as a boundary.”

“Oh, yeah, some of the myths say that you can trap spirits in an iron ring.” Kevin picks up an iron horseshoe from his discard pile and hands it to her. “Personally, I think if you’re looking for superstition, it’s better to just carry a piece and throw it at whatever might chase you.”

Alyssa laughs. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Kevin, that helped a lot.”

“Sure, no problem.”

She turns to walk out of the store, running directly into John in the doorway.  _ “Oof,” _ she mumbles. “Oh. Sorry.”

“Not a problem at all.” He smirks. “Or, maybe it is. Maybe you owe me a drink.”

Alyssa scoffs. “I don’t think so.” She pushes past him and heads towards the bookshop.

* * *

Tom Hawkins sits at his shop counter, watching Alyssa skim through the shelves with a determined look on her face. “You know, I must say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this busy before. What book are you looking for?”

“A few, actually. Anything on animals and creatures. Fairy tales. I’m not taking them with me; I was hoping I could sit at the table in the back and just look through them for a bit?”

Hawkins nods. “You’re my best not-customer. Of course you can. Just put them back where you found them when you’re done, okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

* * *

After four hours in the bookshop, Alyssa sighs heavily, rubbing her temples.

Glowing gold eyes. Howling. Full moon. Claws, Tall. Fur. Paws.

As crazy as it sounds even to her own mind, the gold glint in Emma’s eyes makes her feel that something unnatural is at play, something that excludes a regular animal. And the only unnatural being on record that seems to match the evidence she has at hand is a werewolf.

But even that doesn’t feel quite right to her. The book says that werewolves are hurt by  _ silver, _ not iron. Plus, the pawprints in the yard didn’t look to her like wolf prints. When she does flip through one of the texts on animals, she finds that they look the most like lynx prints. The book’s description of paws that make no noise reminds her of Emma entering the library, but that part doesn’t fit in with the parts that lean more towards werewolf.

It’s a puzzle that doesn’t seem to have a truly satisfying solution, and it nags.

Alyssa closes up the books and returns them to the shelves, waving goodbye to Hawkins before leaving.

She thinks, maybe, she has an idea.

* * *

Dusk is approaching as Alyssa arrives at the manor and heads up to the library.

“You’re later than usual,” Emma comments, standing near the fireplace with her back to the door.

Alyssa tilts her head to the side. “You knew it was me?”

Emma shrugs. “I heard you coming.”

“I had…  _ business _ to attend to in town,” Alyssa murmurs, taking a few steps closer.

She hears Emma give a soft laugh. “One of your many suitors?”

“No. Some research.” Alyssa takes in a hesitant breath and pulls the horseshoe out of her pocket. She could easily walk up to Emma and touch her with it to see what happens. But she stops herself. “I had a thought of trying something without warning you, but it feels wrong. I don’t want to hurt you, Emma, or deceive you. I just want you to know that I think I might’ve put some things together.”

“What sort of-” Emma turns and recoils the moment she sees the horseshoe, nearly stepping into the fire. “Christ, where did you-”

“The blacksmith in town gave it to me when I was asking him about superstitions around iron.” Alyssa narrows her eyes. “Everything I look into says werewolf, but… I’m not sure.”

“You…” Emma goes pale. “What the hell are you going to do with that?”

“Nothing. Why? What does it do to you?”

Emma swallows, paling further. “Get out.”

“Emma, I swear I’m not trying to-”

_ “Get out!” _ Emma yells, her voice closer to an animal snarl than a human shout.

She grabs Alyssa’s shoulder and spins her before shoving her towards the doorway.

Alyssa glances over her shoulder, seeing Emma’s irises glowing yellow, then runs out of the manor.

* * *

She runs all the way down the path, into the woods, forgetting to secure the gates behind her.

* * *

She gets deep into the woods before she realizes that she’s lost her path and can barely see in the darkness of a quarter moon night.

* * *

She thinks she’s nearly where she needs to be when she freezes, fearful, at the sound of the growling of a pack of wolves.

* * *

Emma stands at her fireplace, panting, her mind spinning and spiraling, attempting to regain her composure. She closes her eyes, trying to focus, but the sound of the distant, panicked breathing of Alyssa Greene floods her senses instead.

“Damn it all,” Emma mutters under her breath.

She takes off her jacket, tosses it at the chair, and runs for the door.

* * *

Alyssa stands still, frozen, surrounded by the pack and unsure of what to do.

For all that she has read and researched, nothing has prepared her for what to do when she’s cornered by wolves.

One creeps forward, bolder than the rest, and lunges for her.

She closes her eyes and braces for the bite, but it never comes. Instead, the wolf yelps, and, when she opens her eyes, she sees something much, much bigger in the brush, pinning it down under massive paws. The creature strikes the wolf across the snout before jumping over to another wolf moving towards Alyssa, claws out, teeth glinting in the moonlight.

This creature is not a wolf. Not a cat. Not a werewolf. Not anything Alyssa can identify in the dark shadows of the forest. All she knows is that it’s big, has four legs, its eyes are glowing gold, and it can fight an entire wolf pack by itself.

One wolf doesn’t flee like the rest of its group, standing its ground and continuing to try to get past the creature to Alyssa. After the creature’s fifth attempt to send it on its way, Alyssa flinches at a sickening  _ crunch _ as the creature, clearly fed up, breaks the wolf’s neck.

It turns, golden eyes watching Alyssa for a long moment, then in a motion so seamless she hardly sees it happen, the creature becomes Emma Nolan.

“Wow,” Alyssa whispers.

“I-I’m sorry,” Emma stammers.

Alyssa blinks at her. “What are you sorry for?”

“I haven’t gone beyond the walls in years. The iron in the stone and the gate keeps me inside. I didn’t even realize the ring was broken until I was already here. I just… I heard you in trouble, and as mad as I am at you, I didn’t want to just stand there and let it happen.”

“And I appreciate it very much.” Alyssa takes a tiny step closer to Emma. “Can I ask… what are you?”

“I just call that side of me the beast. It’s really all it is. A monster.”

“Didn’t seem all that monstrous.”

Emma pauses. “I don’t understand. Why aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Well.” Alyssa shrugs. “You did just save my life. And I did do exactly what you asked me not to do, yet you still helped me. So I guess I owe you some benefit of the doubt.”

“I… think I owe you some benefit of the doubt, too.” Emma puts her hands in her pockets. “Will you come with me back to the manor so we can talk?”

“I’d like that.”

“Just… toss that horseshoe out here, would you? Iron is… it  _ really _ hurts.”

Alyssa takes the horseshoe out of her pocket and throws it into the dirt. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Emma turns and takes in a deep breath. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”


	4. Chapter 4

Emma stands in the library, staring into the flames of the fireplace. “How did you figure it out?”

“I looked around,” Alyssa murmurs, standing a few feet behind her. “I didn’t see any iron on the whole property other than the gate. And when I came here the night of the full moon, I saw… well, I suppose I saw you.”

Emma makes a noncommittal noise.

“And then I just went and did whatever research I could. Asked if iron had any superstitions around it. Looked into books on myths and magic. None of them really gave me any sort of answer I was happy with.” She takes in a breath. “I just wanted to know. I’m sorry. I know that’s not an excuse.”

“No, though I suppose I never did much to quell the curiosity.” Emma turns to face her and mutters, “You really are brilliant, though.”

“Huh.” Alyssa gives a dry laugh. “Most people just say I’m pretty. I don’t think anyone has  _ ever _ said that I’m smart.”

Emma shrugs. “You’re also pretty, but the brain is more impressive.” She pauses as Alyssa’s eyes start to water. “I said something wrong, didn’t I?”

Alyssa swallows and shakes her head. “No. Not at all.”

“You’re crying.”

“Not for a bad reason, Emma. I just.” She gives a shaky smile. “You’re something very different.”

Emma scoffs and looks down at her boots. “I think we both know that.”

“It’s interesting, though. Not scary.”

“You sure about that?”

“I think so.” Alyssa takes a step closer. “Can I ask how…”

“I denied the wrong guest.”

Alyssa closes her eyes. “Oh, God, the story Barry told me. I thought it was just another moral tale for the superstitious, but… the child was  _ you.” _

Emma turns back to face the fireplace again. “I was eight.”

A heavy silence settles over them.

Then, softly, Alyssa murmurs, “You were so small. I don’t think I ever would’ve been able to deal with that if it were me.”

“I’m not entirely sure I ever did.”

Alyssa closes the distance between them and cautiously sets her hand on Emma’s shoulder. Emma glances at it, but doesn’t flinch away.

“You should be afraid of me. Most people are,” Emma whispers.

“Why should I be? Are you planning on hurting me?”

“Never. Not with any intention. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not human anymore.” Emma hesitates. “My own parents were afraid of me, Alyssa. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to leave and forget you ever saw this place.”

“Will you be any less grumpy if I stick around?”

Emma gives a thin smile. “Probably not.”

“I think I’ll take that risk.”

Emma turns to her, eyebrows raised. “You’re… going to keep coming back?”

Alyssa smiles. “Yeah, Emma, I am. Is that okay?”

Emma swallows. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

* * *

“She figured it out?”

Emma puts her hands in her pockets, standing in her study. “For the most part. She’s… She’s pretty incredible.”

Barry smirks. “Incredible, huh?”

“Don’t go there. She’s a normal person.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to avoid her. She hasn’t run away. I think that’s a pretty good sign, kid.”

Emma shrugs and looks down. “I don’t think it will matter.”

Barry sets a hand on the top of her head. “Just give it a chance. You’ve earned the right to give yourself a chance.”

Emma sighs. “I hope so.”

* * *

Emma walks into the dining room as Alyssa asks Sheldon, “There’s one other thing that I noticed while I was walking around. You’re the chauffeur, but… I don’t think I ever saw a carriage or anything?”

Sheldon laughs. “I was hired to be the chauffeur, and I tell people I am, but unfortunately we can’t have any horses because  _ someone _ is big and furry and spooks them.”

Emma shoots a glare at Sheldon as she takes her seat, while Alyssa stifles a giggle behind her hand. “I would get along just fine with a horse.”

“Mhm. Tell that to the one I tried to have in here for trips into town when you were little. It kicked you in the snout because you got too close on a full moon.”

“I was  _ ten,” _ Emma protests.

“Does it not carry over if you get hurt in your beast form?” Alyssa asks, reaching over and brushing her fingers along Emma’s jaw to turn her head.

“U-Uhm.” Emma swallows as she tries to clear her brain of the sudden incoherent noise. “What?”

“I would assume that getting kicked in the snout would give you a broken nose, but it doesn’t look like you’ve ever had one.”

“Oh. I heal quick.” Emma shrugs and pulls her head away from Alyssa’s touch. “It’s not a big deal.”

“If you get into fights with wolf packs with any frequency, it’s probably a good thing,” Alyssa says with a grin.

Emma takes a drink from her water glass. “That was a one time event.”

“Well, I’m glad to be your one time.” Alyssa seems to shift her chair just a bit closer to Emma’s before she settles and picks up her fork.

Through dinner, Emma keeps her attention solely on Alyssa, trying to avoid looking at the smirks from the other adults at the table.


	5. Chapter 5

Alyssa tries not to groan as Edgar Kalk sits down next to her in the tavern.

“Have you heard the news?” he asks, obviously puffing his chest out and trying to look taller.

“What news?”

“John and I chased a beast away from the Madison farm last night after it slaughtered a sheep. It was too fast for even us to catch, but we’ll hunt it down.”

“It was probably a wolf,” Alyssa says dryly.

Edgar shakes his head. “It was  _ much _ too big and fast to be a mere wolf. We would’ve caught it. It had to be the monster that lives in the woods.”

An uneasy feeling settles in Alyssa’s stomach. “Yeah, the myth killed a sheep.”

“If you don’t fear the monster, you won’t be able to protect yourself from it,” Edgar says seriously. “Let me help you, Alyssa.”

Alyssa grits her teeth, anger surging through her as she stands. “I don’t need your fucking help.” She turns on her heel and storms out of the tavern, ignoring him as he calls her name behind her.

* * *

“I hate men.”

Emma looks up slowly from her book as Alyssa walks into the library of the manor. “Uhm. I’ve never met one our age, but I doubt I’d be a fan either. Though I’m getting the impression that you’re talking more about one man specifically today.”

Alyssa sighs. “One of the idiots who’s been following me around. He chased something off of a farm last night after it killed a sheep, probably just a wolf, but he’s blaming it on  _ ‘the monster in the woods’.” _

“...Ah.” Emma closes her book and sets it on the small table next to her. “I don’t care for sheep.”

“What?”

“I wouldn’t exactly be all that eager to eat a raw sheep. I have standards.”

Alyssa pauses, then laughs loudly. “That’s good to know. I won’t leave one on your porch during a full moon for you.”

“Please don’t.”

“Is there anything you  _ do _ like when you’re… in beast form?”

Emma shrugs. “My taste is pretty much the same between human and beast. It’s why I eat my steak like that.” She smirks. “I guess liking things  _ more _ cooked is pretty much the opposite of liking things  _ raw.” _

“Yeah, I’d say so.” Alyssa runs her fingers through her hair. “The more I hear those idiots speak, the more glad I am that I can come here and just be content with my thoughts.”

“If you’d like to be alone, I can leave.”

“No. I like when you’re around.”

Emma blinks. “Why?”

“You’re grumpy, but you’re not an asshole and you don’t just see me as my looks. Why wouldn’t I like being around you?”

“I can think of a pretty big reason,” Emma mutters.

Alyssa walks over and stands next to Emma as she scans the bookcase. “I can’t,” she murmurs.

* * *

When the door to the study opens, Emma knows to expect a lecture.

“I see that Alyssa is back today,” Dee Dee says, striding into the room and pulling the curtains open, making Emma wince as sunlight floods in. “Would you like to explain to me why you are in here moping instead of spending time with her?”

“She came here the other day after someone in town suggested that  _ ‘the monster’ _ was killing sheep.”

Dee Dee raises an eyebrow. “Did she believe them?”

“No. She was furious about it.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Emma sighs. “She lives in that town every day, Dee Dee. Do you know what they’d do to her if they found out that she was spending time with  _ ‘the monster’? _ She doesn’t deserve that.”

“I would think that she can make her own decisions about who she spends her days with. Or are you going to start making choices for her just like those fools in town want to?”

“I’m not them,” Emma growls.

“Then prove it. Get to know her as a person. You don’t have to be a recluse when someone actually wants to talk to you.”

“You sound like Barry.”

“Well, he has good points on certain occasions. Rarely.”

Emma runs a hand over her face. “I’m scared, Dee Dee.”

Dee Dee sighs and sets a hand on her shoulder. “I know, kiddo. It’s okay to be scared. Just… don’t be so scared that you never try to live.”

* * *

“Daniel stopped by the store today,” Alyssa’s mother says as they eat dinner together.

“Good for him,” Alyssa mutters.

Mrs. Greene sighs. “Honey, you know they mean well. They want what’s best for you.”

“Best for me? Mother, the town’s fools don’t get to decide what’s best for me just because an unmarried woman over eighteen and they think I’m  _ pretty _ . If you’re desperate to get rid of me, just say so.”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Mrs. Greene says quietly. “I just think that you’re ignoring what they’re actually trying to offer you. You can’t read books forever, sweetheart.”

Alyssa’s hand tightens into a fist in her lap as she stares down at her plate. “I know, Mother. I do listen. I just haven’t quite heard the offer I’m looking for yet.”

Mrs. Greene’s brow furrows. “Will you know when you hear it?”

She glances out the window at the waxing moon rising in the sky. “Yeah. I think I will.”

* * *

Alyssa puts a book away on the library bookcase, then studies the shelves, considering her options. She doesn’t really know if she’ll ever be able to read every book here, but even just looking at the collection leaves a warmth in her heart.

She climbs up the ladder to look at the top shelf, but her dress gets stuck under her foot, and she slips on the rung and falls. She closes her eyes, expecting to hit the hard floor, but instead something catches her. When she opens her eyes again, she realizes that she’s in Emma’s arms.

“Oh,” Alyssa says softly. She loops her hands behind Emma’s neck to support herself. “Nice catch.”

Emma clears her throat, the tips of her ears pink. “If you’re clumsy, you should only go for books on the lower shelves.”

Alyssa grins and leans in closer to her. “Why bother when you’re around to save me?”

“I’m…” Emma clears her throat again. “Maybe next time I won’t.”

“Hm.” Alyssa gives Emma a playful tap on the tip of her nose, making Emma twist her face into a look not unlike a baffled but annoyed puppy. “We’ll see.”

“So you’re planning on making a habit of stuff like this?”

“Sure, if it gets your attention.”

Her breath catches in her throat as the irises of Emma’s eyes begin to glow gold, and she slides one of her hands down to Emma’s cheek to hold her in place.

“Alyssa, are you going to be staying for-” Angie stops in the doorway of the library, her eyebrow raising as she looks them over. “...dinner.”

Emma’s blush spreads from her ears to the rest of her face and her eyes go back to hazel. “It’s not… She just fell off the… I didn’t…” She clears her throat and sets Alyssa’s feet back on solid ground, then stares at the floor and stops speaking.

Alyssa sighs softly.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Angie says.

“N-No. It’s okay.” Alyssa rubs the back of her neck and glances at Emma. “I don’t think I’ll be staying for dinner tonight, Angie. Thank you, though.”

“Of course. Have a nice night.”

“Bye,” Alyssa says. She pauses, waiting to see if Emma will say goodbye, then shakes her head and hurries out of the room when she gets no response.

* * *

Emma sits in her study in the dark, watching as Alyssa walks down the path towards the gate alone. “Whatever you’re going to say, I don’t want to hear it.”

“That’s tough, because you’re going to listen to it anyway.” Barry grabs her chair and turns it to face him as Dee Dee turns on the light.

Emma winces as the study suddenly brightens, and she squints up at Barry, Dee Dee, and Angie as they stare at her. “What the hell do you want from me? I’m trying my best here.”

Angie scoffs, leaning against the wall. “You had the girl in your arms and she still managed to look confused and disappointed by the time she left. I really hope that’s not you trying your best.”

“I’m trying my best to keep her expectations realistic.”

_ “Her _ expectations, or  _ your _ expectations?” Barry challenges. “Kid, if you’re not interested in her, that’s okay. You don’t have to be. We’re just worried that you aren’t letting yourself-”

Emma stands up so fast that she knocks over her chair.  _ “She’s not going to get rid of the beast! _ Do you understand that? I could give my entire being to her, but there is no way that she is going to love me enough to change the curse put on me. There is no way she’d love me at all.”

“Stupidity has to be a side effect of the beast,” Dee Dee mutters. “You can’t possibly be so dense that you don’t see how Alyssa feels about you.”

Emma gives a strained laugh and shakes her head. “Over the past fourteen years, I’ve read every single book in our library. Not once have I read one where the monster wins out against the hero and gets the damsel. Reality is hardly going to be any different.”

“You aren’t the monster in Alyssa’s story, Emma,” Angie says gently.

“I wish that were true.” Emma picks her chair up and turns it back to face the window before sitting down. “Go away. I’m not in the mood.”

She hears Barry sigh loudly before the three of them leave the study, shutting the door behind them.

Emma leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “Let her see what I am,” she whispers. “Then she’ll be done with me, and this can all just be over.” She runs her hands through her hair and closes her eyes. “It’ll be over.”


	6. Chapter 6

“I haven’t seen you around as much,” Hawkins says, watching as Alyssa browses the shelves.

“Yeah, I’ve been doing a few other things. Trying to avoid the idiots.”

“On my way home the other night, I saw you coming out of the woods.”

Alyssa pauses before turning towards Hawkins. “Perhaps.”

“Nothing good happens in the woods, Alyssa.”

“It depends on what you’re looking for.”

Hawkins studies her for a moment. “And what is it that you’re looking for?”

Alyssa shakes her head. “I can’t answer that, Mr. Hawkins.”

“Well. Whatever it is, I hope it’s worth it.”

“Sh… It is, sir.”

Hawkins smiles and looks back down at his paperwork. “I’m glad.”

* * *

Emma sits on the top step of the porch, waiting for Alyssa to arrive. The wind blows past her, chilling her even through her jacket, and she can smell approaching rain in the air.

“...Emma? Is everything okay?”

She looks up at Alyssa, stopped a few feet away, frowning at her with concern. “You don’t understand what I am,” she murmurs.

“Of course I do.”

“No. You really don’t.”

Alyssa gets closer and crouches down in front of her, resting her hands on Emma’s knees. “Em, I know what you are. I’ve seen you.”

“Not really. Not completely.” Emma gently takes Alyssa by the wrist and stands, leading her around to the back of the manor.

“Emma, seriously, what’s the matter?”

“You’re not… You can’t…” Emma runs her free hand over her face. “God, I never should’ve let you come here.”

Alyssa stops, making Emma stop with her and face her.  _ “Emma. _ What is happening right now?”

“I might not be out there killing sheep, Alyssa, but I’m still a monster. The first time I changed I was scared and confused and didn’t know how anything worked. My parents just locked me in my room until daylight and then shipped me over to America so they never had to see me again. The only reason I wasn’t left here alone was because I was their only heir and they wanted Dee Dee to try to train me into being as  _ ‘human’ _ as possible.”

“Oh, God,” Alyssa whispers. “You’re not the monster in that story, Emma.”

Emma laughs. “But I am. I  _ am. _ Why don’t you see it?”

“Maybe you’re just too close to see yourself the way I do.”

“I’m no savior, Alyssa. I’m no hero. Don’t mistake me for one because I fought off some wolves for you.”

Alyssa steps closer, eyes narrowing. “Is that what you think this is? You showed off your teeth once and I turned into some swooning damsel?”

_ “No, _ I… I don’t…” Emma growls under her breath. “You don’t understand.”

“That you’re too stubborn for your own good? I actually understand that pretty perfectly.”

Emma rubs at her forehead and sighs. “What will it take? Is this what you need?”

“What-”

Emma moves back, easily stepping into the form of the beast.

Alyssa looks up at her, eyes wide. “Oh.”

* * *

The beast seems even bigger in daylight, a few inches taller than Alyssa at the shoulder. By shape, it has the head of a wolf, the body of a lynx, and the tail and coloring of a red fox, but Alyssa doesn’t think it’s truly the right description for an animal that looks so seamlessly like its own unique being. The beast bows its head, staring at Alyssa through golden eyes, and Alyssa lets out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

“Emma, if you’re trying to prove that I’d be afraid of you when I saw you, you’re wrong.”

Emma tilts her head, and Alyssa tries not to smile as she sees that one of her ears never went fully straight, instead flopping halfway down like a still-growing puppy.

“You’re not a monster,” Alyssa murmurs, ignoring the rain as it starts to fall above them. She reaches out, setting her hands on either side of the beast’s head, amazed at how soft her fur is. She pulls Emma down to her level and presses a soft kiss to her snout. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”

The fur ruffles under her fingers, and within a blink Emma is standing in front of her, human again, Alyssa’s hands still cupping her face.

Emma just stares at her, jaw a little slack, eyes soft, no reaction to the rain on her face.

“Hi,” Alyssa whispers.

“Hi,” Emma says, voice hoarse.

They settle into silence until the sunshower ends, then Alyssa rests her forehead against Emma’s. “Come on.” She reaches down and takes Emma’s hand, relieved when she feels Emma grip hers in return.

Alyssa pulls Emma back towards the manor, and Emma follows along, quiet, watching her with the same soft, stunned look.

* * *

They head into the house, staring at each other, completely oblivious to the adults standing off to the side as Alyssa pulls Emma up the stairs towards the master bedroom.

“Soup,” Trent says. “They look like they need some soup. I’ll bring it up to them.”

He starts to head into the kitchen, but Angie grabs him by the collar. “If you go anywhere  _ near  _ that door, I’ll kick you. And I can kick  _ high.” _

* * *

Once they’re in the room, in front of the fire already lit and warm, their hands slip apart, and it’s as if the loss in connection makes them forget where they are.

Shivering, soaking wet, Alyssa pulls her dress over her head and lays it on the floor to begin to dry, then lays her slip next to it. Emma pushes off her boots, socks, and pants, tossing them in a heap, then sets her jacket on a coat rack. Her shirt is laid more carefully on the floor before she sits down in the chair near the fire, her expression blank.

They wait for a moment, drying and warming by the fireplace, until Alyssa makes eye contact with Emma and they both remember what they were doing.

Emma grabs Alyssa’s hand and yanks her forward, pulling her onto the chair and into her lap, so suddenly that it takes Alyssa by surprise, but not enough to stop her from cupping Emma’s face and kissing her how she’s wanted to since they met.

“I-I want,” Emma mumbles against Alyssa’s lips.

Alyssa pulls back, shivering from something other than the cold when she sees that Emma’s eyes are glowing gold. “What do you want?” she asks softly.

Emma swallows, her hands trembling against Alyssa’s hips like she can’t figure out what to do with them. “I-I don’t know.”

“I don’t know, either.” Alyssa rests her forehead against Emma’s, staring into the gold. “We can figure it out. If you’d like.”

Emma makes a sound that’s part groan, part whimper. “I would.”

Alyssa laughs and stands up again, taking Emma by the hand and tugging her towards the bed.


	7. Chapter 7

Morning comes with a rumble, a faint vibration Alyssa can feel and hear deep in Emma’s chest.

She lifts her head and rests her chin on Emma’s collarbone, smiling sleepily. “Emma… Are you  _ purring?” _

The rumble stops abruptly as Emma’s eyes open. “I-I… No.”

“It’s not bothering m-”

Emma shakes her head, flushed red. “I wasn’t.” She glances at the clock on the wall and curses under her breath. “Didn’t mean to fall asleep. Your mother’s probably worried about you.”

Alyssa’s brow furrows. “My mother will be fine.”

“You didn’t go home last night.” Emma slides out from underneath Alyssa and out of bed, grabbing her clothes and clumsily pulling them back on. “Y-You were here, and nobody knew where you were, and people probably-”

“Emma,” Alyssa says sharply.

Emma’s mouth snaps shut.

Alyssa picks up one of Emma’s shirts off of the nearby dresser and gets out of bed, putting her arms through the sleeves and letting it hang loosely on her body. She then walks over to Emma and begins gently buttoning her shirt for her. “You’re rambling. If you don’t feel well after being out in that storm last night, maybe you should spend the day in front of the fire.”

Emma glances at the fireplace and blushes even redder. “N-No. I’m fire-  _ fine.” _ She looks down and pales as she registers the sight of Alyssa in nothing but one of her own shirts, then looks up at the ceiling. “Oh god,” she mumbles.

“Hey,” Alyssa whispers, resting her hands on Emma’s shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s  _ wrong, _ I just…” Emma sighs heavily and slumps forward, resting her forehead on Alyssa’s shoulder. “I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, and then it doesn’t, and then I get scared that it’ll fall because I did something stupid like keep you out late.”

“You didn’t do anything. I spent the night because I wanted to. Because I wanted to be with you.”

Emma is quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-”

“You don’t need to apologize for being nervous, Em.” Alyssa skims her fingers along Emma’s jaw and lifts her head to look at her, smiling when Emma’s breath catches.

There’s a soft knock on the door, and Angie’s voice says,  _ “Emma?” _

Emma goes from a blush to pale so fast that Alyssa is worried she might pass out. “Yeah?” Emma yells back, her voice squeaking in a way that isn’t subtle at all.

Alyssa stifles a giggle.

_ “Just so you know, the others went into town for some errands. I’m the only one around this morning, so I’m afraid the table will be pretty quiet if you want anything for breakfast.” _

“O-Oh. Okay. Uhm.” Emma clears her throat. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.” She meets Alyssa’s gaze, still shy, but a little braver. “Do you want to stay for breakfast? She’ll see you leave either way, so it’s not like either of us would really be saving any annoyance by eating with her.”

Alyssa laughs and begins to pick up her clothes. “I’d love to.”

* * *

Breakfast is far less painful than Emma thought it would be.

Angie sits opposite Alyssa, talking with her about garden maintenance and not even acknowledging the fact that she clearly spent the night. Emma picks at her burnt bacon, fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat.

Her morning panic at Alyssa wasn’t just anxiety. She can feel the slow shift as the full moon approaches, only a few days away. Her bones ache and she wants to snap, and the effort to keep herself from growling at Alyssa for no apparent reason is bubbling up into nervous energy.

Last night was the first time in her life that anything had distracted her from the strain for more than a few minutes.

“Where did you go?” Alyssa asks softly, brushing a finger against the back of her hand.

Emma shakes her head and runs a hand through her hair. “Nowhere.”

“You haven’t eaten anything.”

“Oh.” Emma glances down at her plate, and her stomach flips. “Well, you know how it is. Get used to the cooking of a professional and the gardener’s effort doesn’t seem as impressive.”

Angie snorts. “Don’t give me that crap. You eat most of your food burnt. Dee Dee could cook your meals.”

“Well,  _ I _ very much enjoyed my breakfast, Angie. Thank you for making it and letting me stay.” Alyssa gives Emma a wide grin.

“You’re  _ welcome,  _ Alyssa. At least somebody around here appreciates me.” Angie smirks and leans across the table closer to Alyssa. “If you’re allowed back here for breakfast again sometime, ask Trent to-”

Emma zones out again, staring at the wall. Her mind wanders and focuses on one single idea, and she stands up suddenly.

Alyssa looks up at her, frowning. “Em?”

“Sorry. Excuse me. I have something I need to take care of.” Emma sets her hand gently on Alyssa’s back. “Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

Emma nods and walks out of the dining room.

* * *

“Are you  _ sure _ you’re alright?” Alyssa asks as they stand in the opened doorway before she heads back into town. “You were so quiet at breakfast.”

“I have a bit of a headache.” Emma pauses as if she’s considering her options. “I think I’ll tell you about it sometime, but not today.” She shifts her weight between her feet, then pulls a single rose from behind her back and holds it out to her.

Alyssa takes it, her fingers brushing gently against Emma’s. “It’s beautiful.”

“I-I know I’ve been weird since… since last night, but I just need you to know that I enjoyed every moment. I enjoy every moment of being with you, even if it’s sometimes difficult for me to express it. And I…” Emma clears her throat and bows her head, her voice lowering. “I-I appreciate your ability to see me as something other than a monster.”

Alyssa holds the rose in one hand as she steps closer, using her other hand to lift Emma’s chin. “You don’t need to be appreciative of that, Emma. You deserve to be treated like any other human being, even if you do sometimes get much sharper teeth.” She leans forward and presses a soft, slow kiss to Emma’s lips. “And so we’re clear, I enjoy every moment with you, too.”

When she steps back, Emma is frozen in place in the doorway, a loose smile on her face.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Emma.”

“Uh-huh.”

Alyssa walks down to the gate, glancing behind her only once. She laughs as she sees Emma, still standing in the doorway, then she leaves the manor grounds.

* * *

“You’re  _ lucky _ that I had a mother’s intuition that I shouldn’t send out a search party!”

Alyssa sighs as her mother continues to pace. “Mom, I’m sorry. I told you I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you, and if I had planned to be out all night I would have told you in advance.”

Mrs. Greene huffs and folds her arms across her chest. “You still haven’t told me  _ where _ you were.”

“A friend’s. I was visiting and we heard the storm coming in, so I stayed later than I usually would, and at that point it was pretty dark to walk home alone.”

“The storm.”

“...Yeah.”

Mrs. Greene’s jaw twitches. “It only rained for a few minutes.”

Alyssa realizes in that moment that the only part of the night before’s weather she actually remembered was the fact that it had rained hard enough to soak her and Emma and give them an excuse to get undressed.

“Uh. Right.” Alyssa winces. “Well, you know how it is, sometimes you get tired pretty quickly and don’t pay attention to whether the rain is going to last a while or not.”

Mrs. Greene rolls her eyes and sighs. “Okay. If you don’t want to tell me, I won’t pry any further. You’re an adult. But as long as you live here, please do try not to make me worry so much.”

“Of course, Mom.”

Alyssa kisses her mother on the cheek, then hurries to her room, pulling the rose out of the sleeve of her dress where she had been hiding it. She opens one of the few books she owns and carefully lays the rose down inside, arranging it neatly before closing the book to press it. Alyssa smiles and brushes her fingers against the cover before setting it back on the shelf and starting to get out of her old clothes.


	8. Chapter 8

“Honey. Are you going to stand there all day?”

Emma looks up, brow furrowing in confusion. “Huh?”

Angie gives her a sympathetic smile. “You haven’t moved since Alyssa left. You’re kind of letting all the heat out of the house.”

“O-Oh. Sorry.” Emma shuts the door and leans against it, sighing.

Angie takes her by the jaw gently, lifting her head to make eye contact. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I… We, uhm… We…”

“You don’t need to tell me anything if you don’t want to.”

Emma rubs the back of her neck. “I just want to make sure… When we had that…  _ very _ uncomfortable conversation a few years ago, you said that sex involved…” She lowers her head and mumbles, “There weren’t like  _ climactic _ moments, everything just felt good. Everything felt right.”

Angie sets her hand on top of Emma’s head. “Kiddo. That’s all you need.”

Emma lets out a shaky breath that had been caught in her chest. “You’re sure?”

“Well, I saw the way Alyssa was looking at you this morning. I think you did just fine.”

“Shut up,” Emma grumbles, blushing.

Angie laughs and pulls her forward, kissing her on the forehead. “Go upstairs and get ready for the day.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Emma rolls her eyes, smiling slightly, and heads up the stairs.

* * *

“It didn’t break,” Barry says in a whisper as he leans against the wall near a window, looking outside at Emma while she dozes in her beast form in a patch of sunlight.

Angie shakes her head. “It didn’t break.”

“But she’s…” He turns around and rubs the back of his neck, thinking. “I mean, we all know she’s in love with Alyssa, right? U-Unless maybe it’s just that Alyssa doesn’t love her?”

“You didn’t see them this morning,” Angie murmurs. “I saw them at breakfast, and caught a few moments of them saying goodbye when Alyssa left. It’s a young love, but it’s there. I don’t think even they realize it yet.”

Sheldon shrugs. “Maybe that’s what they need. Maybe once their relationship grows, it’ll-”

“Or,” Dee Dee interrupts, staring down at her tea. “Or, perhaps, the idea was wrong.”

Barry frowns. “What do you mean?”

“We never knew for sure that love would break the curse on Emma. It was a theory. Maybe…” Dee Dee sighs. “Maybe there is no breaking it. Maybe all she needs is someone who will love her regardless.”

Barry glances back outside as Emma stretches and rolls onto her back, yawning and showing her teeth. “I just hope that will be enough to convince her to love herself.”

* * *

When Alyssa walks through the manor gate, she finds Emma in the front yard, chasing leaves in her beast form. She stands and watches, smiling, until Emma notices her and stumbles to a stop.

She changes back in a human form and puts her hands into the pockets of her jacket, leaning her weight on her heels. “Sorry. I didn’t see you come in.”

Alyssa shakes her head. “No, no, don’t apologize. You were being cute.”

Emma blushes and clears her throat. “How are you?”

“Good.”

“Good, good. Weather’s nice.”

“It is.” Alyssa walks closer, reaching up and setting her palm against Emma’s cheek. “Is your headache better?”

“Not particularly.”

“Tell me about it?”

Emma gives a soft sigh. “The full moon is tonight. In the few days leading up to it, I can feel it, like parts of me are already starting to lock into the beast. My bones ache. My senses are overwhelmed. It’s a struggle to keep my mood under control.”

“That must be awful,” Alyssa murmurs, voice thick with sympathy.

“It can be. Being in the beast form makes it stop hurting.” She gives a bashful smile. “Being with you made it stop hurting, too.”

Alyssa grins. “I’m glad.”

“You don’t need to be here today, Alyssa. I’m going to be a real pain in the ass.”

“I won’t mind. I understand. And hey, if you’re more comfortable as the beast form, you can do that.”

“It won’t bother you?”

“Em. How many times do I have to tell you that it won’t?”

“Perhaps a few more.”

Alyssa moves her hand down from Emma’s cheek to her shirt, gripping it by the collar and using it to pull Emma forward. She kisses her, all teeth and tongue and wandering hands.

When she leans back, panting, Emma’s arms are around her waist and the irises of her eyes are glowing gold.

“Have I mentioned that it’s kinda hot when you do that?” Alyssa breathes.

Emma’s brow furrows with confusion. “Let you kiss me?”

“No. Well, yes, but no. When your eyes get all glowy when I get you a little riled up. I don’t have enough examples to prove that it always happens, but I still like it.” She taps a finger against Emma’s sternum. “Makes me feel like you’re into it right down deep to your core.”

“That… I… I didn’t realize I was…” Emma swallows. “You’re… okay with that?”

Alyssa rests her forehead against Emma’s. “Of course I am, Em.”

Emma takes in a slow breath. “I guess it  _ would _ be nice to spend a few hours as the beast while you read.”

“I think that’d be a great way to spend my afternoon.” Alyssa takes Emma by the hand and tugs her towards the manor. “Plus, you’re always very warm, so I might not even have to light the fire. Never know what might happen if it’s just the two of us in front of a fireplace.”

“If you keep doing this, I’m never going to be able to  _ look _ at a fireplace again,” Emma groans.

Alyssa grins. “I’m fine with that.”

* * *

Barry walks past the library, glancing in, and stops in his tracks.

Alyssa is sitting reading, while Emma dozes next to her chair in her beast form. Every so often, she reaches down and scratches Emma behind the ear, then gives a muffled giggle as Emma makes a happy purring noise in her sleep and her tail thumps against the floor.

He watches for a few minutes, smiling softly, before continuing on his way.

* * *

“Is it immediate?” Alyssa asks as Emma walks her to the front gate. “Like, as soon as the sun goes down, or as soon as you see the moon, or…?”

“As soon as the sun goes down on the night of a full moon. Whether I can see it or not.”

Alyssa brushes her thumb against the back of Emma’s hand. “Does it hurt?”

“No.” Emma pauses. “Not anymore.”

“...When did it?”

“The beast grows differently than humans do. The growing pains of a six-foot wolf-thing wasn’t exactly a fun experience.”

“I would imagine not.”

Emma lifts Alyssa’s hand and kisses her knuckles. “Are you going to come back tomorrow?”

“If you’ll have me.”

Emma gives the same cute, bashful smile that Alyssa has come to greatly enjoy. “I very much would like to.”

“I suppose I will, then.” Alyssa leans forward, getting into Emma’s space. “Bye.” She kisses Emma on the cheek, then turns and opens the gate, shutting it carefully behind her.

“Bye,” Emma calls after her, getting as close to the gate as she dares to watch Alyssa go.

Alyssa turns back to smile and wave at her, then continues down the path to town.

* * *

Emma stands on the porch, smiling as Alyssa approaches the manor. “You look nice today.”

“Thank you. What do I look like other days?”

“U-Uh… Smart?”

Alyssa laughs and jumps up onto the porch. “Nice save, lover.”

Emma flushes red.

“How was your night?” Alyssa asks as she wraps her arms around Emma’s waist.

“It-” Emma freezes.

Her senses are spiraling, flooded by Alyssa’s scent, strong enough she can taste it. Her hands tense against Alyssa’s hips as she feels hunger nipping at her brain, need and coiled tension she had thought was the result of the full moon.

The moon she is no longer under.

“Emma?” Alyssa asks, voice soft and distant like it’s in a dream. “Where did you go?”

She snaps herself back into reality, trying to push out the thoughts she’s having of skipping the library and going back to the bedroom.

Alyssa can’t know.

Alyssa can’t know.

“I- You- I-” Emma stumbles away from Alyssa, rubbing at her head, confused and disoriented. “You have to go.”

“What?” Alyssa stares at her, baffled. “Emma?”

Emma turns and opens the door of the manor as she shifts into her beast form, sprinting up the stairs and into her study, where she shuts the door behind her and noses the lock over. She goes into the corner behind her chair and lays down, paws over her ears, and tries to shut the world out.


	9. Chapter 9

Alyssa stands on the porch, stunned into confused silence.

“Honey, are you okay?” Angie asks as she stops in the entryway, giving her a concerned look.

“I-I… Em- I don’t know,” Alyssa stammers.

Angie studies her face for a moment, then steps out to put an arm around Alyssa’s shoulders while leading her into the house. “Why don’t we go sit down and talk for a while?”

* * *

“That was about when she started howling,” Barry says. “Did you know beasts can get fevers? Apparently ours can, but unfortunately since Emma can’t  _ talk _ when she’s in that form, she couldn’t tell us what was wrong. I had a ten-year-old puppy who was just ornery and refusing to go to bed and howling and batting her paws at my face when I tried to pick her up. She even nipped Dee Dee’s fingers.”

Alyssa chokes on her ice cream. “And she’s still alive?”

Dee Dee shrugs. “It wasn’t like her, and she felt awful about it the next morning. It was always hard to stay mad at the kid when she used her sad eyes.”

“I wish I could’ve seen her when she was that age. I’m sure she was adorable.”

Angie’s eyes light up. “Hold on a second.” She runs into the other room, and when she comes back she hands Alyssa a small notebook.

Alyssa opens it, and warmth floods through her chest. The notebook is full of drawings that she recognizes as what must be Emma’s beast form when she was smaller, sleeping, playing, sitting patiently with her head tilted to the side and her floppy ear hanging goofily.

“That one was always my favorite,” Angie says softly, pointing at one of a particularly gangly Emma dozing on the couch. “It was during one of her growth spurts, and she kept running around the backyard tripping over her paws, until she tired herself out and just dropped on the couch without even changing back.”

Alyssa brushes her thumb along a page that looks like a drawing of a human Emma as a child sitting across from her beast form at the same age. “Do you know why I’ve trusted Emma as fast as I have? It’s because of all of you.”

Barry’s brow furrows. “What do you mean?”

“I know she doesn’t trust herself. The gate around this place proves that as much as anything. And that would normally make it… difficult. To truly believe that she has control, that she’s not dangerous. But all of you? You have  _ so much _ faith in her. You have no reason to be here unless you believe that you can trust her, believe that she’s not the monster she seems to think she is. I might not have known any of you that long, but… I can see how much you all love her. As far as I’m concerned, that’s proof that she deserves more than she thinks she does.”

Barry rubs at his eyes and gives her a smile. “Thank you for that. It means a lot. Truly.”

“Thank you for taking care of her,” Alyssa says quietly.

Angie stands and walks behind Alyssa’s chair, leaning down to give her a tight hug and a kiss on the top of her head.

The door to the dining room swings open, and Emma takes a step in. “Do any of you-”

She freezes when she sees Alyssa, her face going pale.

“Emma,” Alyssa whispers. “Can we-”

“What is she doing here?” Emma interrupts sharply, panic in her eyes as she looks at Dee Dee.

“She’s always here,” Dee Dee replies. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I-I…” Emma swallows, then turns and flees.

“What the hell has gotten into her?” Barry asks, turning to look at Alyssa.

Alyssa just shakes her head, looking down at the table to hide the tears in her eyes.

Angie silently squeezes her into another hug.

* * *

Barry walks into the study and shivers. The room is dark and freezing, the fireplace unlit and hidden behind a picture that’s been taken off the wall and set in front of it. Emma is sitting in her chair, slumped down, staring at nothing.

“What do you want,” Emma says, her voice flat and emotionless.

“I know you run hot, but it’s cold in here even for you. What are you doing?”

Emma snorts out a laugh and stands, walking over to lean her hands on either side of the window frame and stare outside. “If that’s all, I-”

“No. It’s not. What I really want to know is what you did to Alyssa.”

“Why does it have to be something  _ I _ did?”

“Because you walked into that room looking like you were ill, then demanded to know why Alyssa was here. You’re as subtle as a brick wall.” Barry scoffs. “Which is appropriate, because bricks are what your head is made out of.”

“Don’t insult me, old man,” Emma growls, turning on her heel, aggressive tension in her shoulders.

Barry rolls his eyes. “You can posture at me all day. I know this game. You’re all bark, no bite. The more you think something is going to hurt you, the more you growl and snarl at me, and I’m not going to buy it. So put your teeth away and tell me what happened.”

Emma tries to stare him down, then she crumbles, collapsing back into her chair. “I can’t get her out of my head,” she whispers.

“...What?”

“She’s always liked me because I appreciated her mind more than her body. And I still do. I still want to. But ever since… ever since we slept together, her scent is cluttering my mind. I can’t stop it. I just want-” Emma makes a frustrated noise and leans her elbows on her knees, setting her head in her hands. “How am I supposed to look her in the eye and tell her that the one thing she liked me for is no longer true?”

Barry walks closer and sets his hand gently on her hair. “Okay. Breathe. First of all, I guarantee that it’s not the  _ one _ thing that Alyssa likes you for. Second of all, you shoving her away isn’t the solution to the problem. You have to tell her. You can figure it out together.”

Emma shakes her head. “I can’t.”

Barry sighs heavily and lets his hand fall away. “I’m not going to stand here and watch you throw away your chance at having a life, kid. I won’t do it. You don’t deserve to spend your whole life locked away in this manor, and right now the only thing keeping you here is you.”

He gets no response as Emma stares at the floor.

With another sigh, Barry turns and walks out of the room.

* * *

Over the next two weeks, Alyssa doesn’t go back to the manor.

Emma paces in the front yard, not wearing her jacket, her hair a ruffled mess.

“Come inside,” Angie says, standing on the porch with her hands on her hips.

Emma shakes her head and rubs the back of her neck.

“For God’s sake, Emma, when was the last time you ate anything?”

“I’m fine,” Emma rasps, her voice hoarse.

“You’re  _ not _ fine. Do you want me to go into town and talk to Alyssa?”

“No.” She looks up at Angie. “But… I… I-I… Do you think she’s okay? She’s okay, right? I mean, she’s obviously okay. She has to be okay.”

“Emma. Honey.” Angie steps off the porch and grabs Emma by her shoulders. “Go inside. Eat something. Sleep. Bathe. Change your clothes. Start fresh. It’s going to be alright.”

“I don’t want anything to happen to her,” Emma whispers. “I didn’t want to hurt her.”

Angie sets her palm against Emma’s cheek. “I know, sweetheart. Now go on. Go inside.”

Emma closes her eyes and bows her head, motionless for a moment, then turns and walks back into the manor.

* * *

Alyssa rubs her temple as someone sits down next to her. “How many times do I need to ask you to leave me alone?”

“Only once, but I’d appreciate it if you heard me out.”

She looks over sharply, startled to see Angie. “Oh. I’m sorry, I… I thought you were someone else.”

Angie gives her a sympathetic smile. “Still being bothered?”

Alyssa laughs dryly and takes a sip of her drink. “Maybe I should just tell them I’ve had sex with a supernatural idiot,” she mutters. “They might be less inclined.”

“They’re men; they probably just wouldn’t believe you.” Angie rubs Alyssa’s back comfortingly. “You know that you didn’t do anything wrong, right?”

“I do. I just wish Emma did.”

Angie sighs. “That girl doesn’t understand that she’s allowed to have something good happen to her. I don’t know how to get her to open up to you. I don’t know how to get her to explain why she spiraled out of control. I won’t expect you to put yourself through her moodiness. But if anybody is going to convince her that she’s worth something, it’s not going to be one of us. It’s going to be you, Alyssa.”

Alyssa swallows. “I don’t know how to help her.”

“I’m not sure that’s true.” Angie pats her on the back and stands. “Just think about it, okay? For both of your sake’s.”

* * *

Alyssa steps into the manor, and it feels like coming home.

She looks around, just breathing in the space, until she hears footsteps at the top of the stairs. When she turns, her breath catches in her throat.

Emma is standing above her, wearing brown boots, navy blue pants, a white shirt, a navy blue waistcoat and jacket, and a gold tie. Her hair is shorter and looks slightly damp, like it was freshly washed, and her eyes briefly flicker gold the moment she sees Alyssa.

“You’re here,” Emma whispers.

Alyssa nods. “I’m here.”


	10. Chapter 10

“I can’t stay long,” Alyssa says. “My mother is expecting me. I just thought maybe we could talk?”

Emma nods. “S-Sure. Uhm. Come here, we’ll go to the study.”

“The study I’m not allowed in?”

“...I think I owe you access wherever you want, at the very least.”

Alyssa walks up the stairs and takes Emma’s hand. “I only need whatever you’re comfortable enough to give.”

Emma takes in a slow breath. “I know.”

* * *

Alyssa pauses in the doorway of the study, brushing her fingers over notches on either side of the frame numbered from eight to twenty. “Is this… you as a human on one side, and you as the beast on the other?”

“Yeah. I pretty much stopped growing once I hit twenty, so Barry stopped taking the measurements, too.” Emma stands in the middle of the study, her hands in her pockets.

When Alyssa steps inside, she’s struck by how quiet and simple the room is. There’s a small fireplace to one side, two chairs near the windows, and paintings of various landscapes lining the walls.

What catches her attention, however, is the sphere on the mantle that looks an awful lot like iron.

“Emma…” she says quietly.

Emma follows her line of vision. “That’s not what it might look like,” she murmurs. “I had it put there when I was younger. Every so often I’d touch it just to see if anything had changed. It was… I don’t know. An odd curiosity in a way. I always regretted it, but I’ve always been a bit stupid, I suppose.”

“It’s not stupid to want to change.”

Something passes over Emma’s face, a flinch that Alyssa can’t identify, but before she can question it Emma gestures towards one of the walls. “The paintings are of Ireland. A bit of home since I can’t go back.”

“There’s nothing that says you could never go there,” Alyssa says.

Emma scoffs. “Yeah. Put a monster on a ship across the ocean. I’m sure that will-”

_ “Stop that,” _ Alyssa interrupts, anger flooding her voice.

Emma goes quiet, startled.

Alyssa marches over to her and jabs a finger against her sternum.  _ “Stop _ calling yourself a monster. You’re different, Emma. That’s all you are.”

“I’m trying to believe that. I really am. It’s just not that easy.”

“Is…” Alyssa sighs. “Is that why you pushed me away?”

Emma shakes her head. “I can’t tell you that.”

“Emma, if we don’t talk about it, you’ll just shut down again. I need to understand.” When she gets no response, Alyssa sighs again and turns to leave, but Emma reaches out and grabs her wrist.

“I want to be more for you,” Emma whispers, pain in her eyes that makes Alyssa’s heart ache. “I want to be the person you need me to be. I just can’t, Alyssa.”

“You’re already  _ enough _ for me, Em. I wouldn’t have gone to your bed if you weren’t.”

Emma flinches and lets go of Alyssa’s wrist. “I’m sorry.”

Alyssa reaches up and sets her palm against Emma’s cheek. “You don’t need to be sorry. I just wish you could see what I see.” She lowers her hand slowly. “Walk me out, Emma.”

* * *

“Are you going to come back?” Emma asks as she stands near the gate, her hands in her pockets and her shoulders hunched.

“I don’t know. Do you want me to?”

The confusion swirling in Emma’s brain begs her to say no, but Emma shrugs. “I don’t want you to lose your safe place. I never wanted that.”

Alyssa gives a small smile and leans up, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of Emma’s mouth. “I know you didn’t.” She gives Emma’s hand a squeeze, then walks out of the manor grounds.

Emma watches her until she’s out of sight, then slips into her beast form and pads towards the back of the manor.

* * *

Alyssa sits on her bed, her book open, staring down at the pressed rose. “What changed?” she whispers. “Please, Em. Please just tell me what went wrong.”

She looks up sharply and closes her book when she hears a commotion outside, and her mother rushes into her room.

“There’s a mob gathering outside,” Mrs. Greene says breathlessly.

“There’s a what?”

“A mob. Some of the young men claim they’ve found the creature that’s been killing the town’s sheep.”

A sinking feeling settles in Alyssa’s stomach. She puts her book back where it belongs, then pushes past her mother and out the front door.

* * *

The mob is smaller than she might’ve expected, but there’s still at least a dozen men gathered nearby holding weapons and a few torches.

“What the hell is going on?” Alyssa demands.

John, near the front of the group, gives her a cold smile. “Alyssa. I’m glad you could join us. We’re going to rid the town of the monster.”

Alyssa feels her mother walk up behind her as she scoffs. “You mean the wolf? I’ve told you before, there’s no way-”

“You mean you’ve  _ covered _ before.”

There’s a pause as Alyssa swallows. “What do you mean?”

“I had Edgar follow you, because we were worried that you’d get hurt with all of your venturing into the forest.” John folds his arm across his chest. “Instead, he found you on the grounds of the old manor. He saw you with a woman who turned into a monster.”

“Alyssa, what is he talking about?” Mrs. Greene asks in a whisper.

She ignores her mother. “Are you sure Edgar wasn’t drunk?”

“Quite sure.” John walks closer to Alyssa and takes something out of a pouch on his belt, holding it up for her to see. “When he mentioned it, I was reminded of something I overheard you talking to the blacksmith about.”

Alyssa’s eyes focus on the object in front of her.

Bindings made of iron.

She feels the blood drain from her face, and she lunges towards John, only stopped when Daniel and Edgar grab her arms.  _ “No! _ John, please, don’t do this. She’s not what you think she is.”

“The creature is a threat. It’s our duty to deal with the threat.” John leans in closer to her and lowers his voice. “She’s a threat in more ways than one, isn’t she, Alyssa? Or was Edgar also drunk when he saw you kiss her?”

“Go to hell.” Alyssa tries to kick him, but she’s pushed down to her knees.

“Get your hands off of my daughter,” Mrs. Greene growls, taking a step forward before she’s forced back by one of the other men.

“Lock them in the house.” John puts the bindings back in his belt. “I don’t want them interfering.”

* * *

“You sent her away again, didn’t you?” Barry demands, following Emma through the house.

“I didn’t  _ send her away, _ she had to go home.”

“Yes, and you  _ let _ her go home without resolving why you really pushed her away.”

Emma shoots a glare at him over her shoulder. “What do you want me to say? I’m trying to make this easier on both of us.”

“You’re trying to make it easier on  _ you.” _

Emma stops and turns to face him. “Do you really think this is easier? My heart can barely take it.”

Barry sighs. “Then don’t let her go.”

“It’s not always that simple. I-” Emma turns her head sharply.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s here. I can hear yelling near the gate.”

“I’ll-”

“No. Stay here, Barry. Keep everyone inside.”

Barry’s jaw tenses. “I’m not going to let you do something stupid on your own.”

Emma sets her hands on his shoulders. “It might be nothing, okay? But I need you to make sure the manor stays safe. Please, Barry.”

Barry stares at her for a long moment before nodding. “You’re better than you think you are, kid. Don’t forget that.”

“We’ll have plenty more opportunities for you to yell at me about it later.” Emma turns and runs out of the manor.

* * *

Alyssa hops up onto a stool and looks out a side window, gritting her teeth in frustration as she sees that it’s blocked from the outside. “I have to get out of here,” she mutters.

“What exactly do you hope to do?” Mrs. Greene asks.

“I don’t know. I have to try to warn Emma. Help her.  _ Something.” _

“John was right, then? You do know the monster?”

It’s not accusatory, more stunned curiosity, but Alyssa still sighs as she runs a hand through her hair. “She’s not a monster. She doesn’t even leave her house, so there’s no way she could be the one killing those sheep. She can change, yes, but Mother, she’s nothing like what the superstitions would have you believe. She’s good. I swear to you, she’s good.”

Mrs. Greene studies her with an unreadable expression. “You’re fond of her.”

“I love her,” Alyssa whispers.

“...Right then.” Mrs. Greene stands and walks into another room.

Alyssa winces and lowers her head.

She lifts it again, sharply, as her mother rushes back to her. “Come along.”

“Huh?”

Mrs. Greene grabs her by the arm and yanks her to her feet. “There’s not much time.” She pulls Alyssa into her bedroom, and Alyssa gapes at a small door hidden behind her mother’s wardrobe.

“What-”

“When I was much younger, I sometimes snuck your father in at night so we could talk to each other without your grandparents knowing.”

Alyssa pauses. “I don’t want to know any more information about that.”

Mrs. Greene gives a soft laugh. “Go on, sweetheart.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going out, too, but I won’t go with you. I’m going to go see Mr. Hawkins in the bookshop. Perhaps he’ll have an idea for how to know that a simple wolf is causing our issues.”

Alyssa kisses her on the cheek. “Thank you, Mother.”

“Just be careful.”

Alyssa gives a dry laugh. “I will.”

* * *

Emma stands in the front yard of the manor, calmly watching as a group of men push open the gate and walk towards her. “I believe that’s trespassing.”

“Monsters don’t deserve the same privileges as people,” the man at the front says.

“I won’t be a monster. If that’s what you’re looking for, I’m not going to give it to you.” Emma shrugs. “I don’t care if you kill me regardless. I’m not going to be what you want me to be.”

“You don’t have a choice but to be a monster. It’s all you are.”

“John, here,” a man at the back says, tossing a pistol to the man at the front.

John lifts the gun and fires one shot, striking Emma in the shoulder. She stumbles backwards, her eyes flickering gold, but she just grits her teeth and looks back up at him.

“I’m not going to give you what you want,” she says in a low growl.

“That’s fine. You don’t need to change. We still know exactly what you are.” John takes something out of his belt, and Emma takes a small step back as she sees the iron. “You’re a creature to be hunted. And you’ve pissed off the best hunters around.”


	11. Chapter 11

The forest feels thicker, denser, closing around Alyssa like the panic closing around her chest. She runs along the path as fast as she can manage, stumbling over rocks and roots, a single focus in her mind.

Emma.

She needs to get to Emma.

* * *

Gunsmoke floods her senses as she moves out of the way just in time to avoid getting shot again.

She keeps moving, trying to stay away, trying not to fight.

She doesn’t _want_ to fight.

Emma glances over her shoulder at the manor, then looks back at John, knocked to the ground when she dodged out of the way of a lunge. “Couldn’t kill me yourself? You had to bring friends?”

“I’m not stupid enough to fight a monster by myself,” John spits as he drags himself to his feet.

“Maybe it’s that. Maybe you’re just a coward.”

John’s eyes narrow, and he holds up a hand. The man beside him lowers his gun, and an eerie silence falls over the yard.

* * *

Alyssa makes it to the gate and runs into it in her haste, stopping to reach in to try to unlock it. She looks up and pauses, distracted, as she watches the fight in front of her.

It’s less of a fight than it is the mob trying to hit or shoot or tackle Emma and her getting out of the way of most of them before they can make contact.

She wonders why Emma doesn’t change, but, as quick as the thought comes to her, the answer settles through her like a weight.

Emma won’t be the monster they want her to be.

Even if it kills her.

The fighting stops, and everything goes silent as Emma and John stare each other down.

Alyssa looks back down and finds that the gate is fully bolted, barred presumably so Emma can’t get out.

Her only way in is to take the time to climb the gate, time she’s not sure she has.

She starts upward, boots slipping on the iron, as she hears John’s voice cutting through the air like a whip. “You don’t know anything about cowardice or honor. If you did, you wouldn’t have touched Alyssa when she belongs to us.”

* * *

Emma’s hands tighten into fists. “Alyssa belongs to no one but herself.”

John takes a small step forward, smiling, and lowers his voice. “Maybe she doesn’t belong to _you,_ but don’t worry. We’ll fix her. Nobody else needs to know that she ruined herself with a monster.”

The beast in her head lifts its muzzle, snarls, and snaps, and her control snaps with it.

Emma runs at him, just wanting one punch, but the men on either side of John clearly saw her reaction coming. They grab her arms and wrestle her to the ground, and she tries to get a kick in instead when John gets closer, but someone presses down on the bullet in her shoulder and she sees white.

John sets a knee on her chest, making her choke, and he locks her wrists into the iron shackles.

Emma’s head slams backward as agony spikes through her, her skin burning. Her teeth strain from human to beast and back, her body trying to change, trying to protect her, but the fire in her blood keeps her locked as she is.

One of the other men takes an iron chain out of his bag and tosses it to John as he stands. “Move her to that tree over there,” he says coldly. “It’s time to finish this.”

* * *

Alyssa drops down to the ground in time to watch Edgar and Daniel tie Emma to one of the trees in the front yard with an iron chain. She’s shaking, her face twisted in pain, and it makes Alyssa think of the time she had considered testing what iron would do to her.

She’s eternally grateful that she didn’t.

John takes a pistol and checks to see if it’s loaded, and Alyssa suddenly realizes what’s about to happen.

 _“Stop!”_ she screams, sprinting forward. _“For God’s sake, stop!”_

She shoves John aside, then gets between the mob and Emma.

“Alyssa,” John says calmly, giving her a sympathetic look that’s so patronizing she can feel it. “I know you’ve grown fond of the creature, but she’s dangerous. We need to get rid of her.”

“Just… just wait. Please. Just give me time.”

John rolls his eyes and waves his hand in a _‘get on with it’_ gesture.

Alyssa turns and gets close to Emma, keeping her voice low so no one else can hear her. She cups Emma’s face in her hand and lifts it, and she sees that one of Emma’s eyes is gold and the other is hazel.

“Hi.”

“You came back,” Emma rasps.

“I did.”

Emma swallows and shudders. “Go, Lys. Please. You don’t need to watch this.”

Alyssa shakes her head. “I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to leave you here.”

 _“Please,_ Lys, I-” Emma groans, her whole body trembling, and Alyssa realizes for the first time that there’s faint wisps of smoke or steam lifting from everywhere the iron is making contact with her.

“I’m _not_ leaving you.” Alyssa brushes some of Emma’s hair off of her face before going back to holding her head up. “I love you,” she whispers. “I wish loving you could change something, could make it so this stupid metal couldn’t hurt you anymore. I don’t know if anything _can_ change you, Emma, but I don’t _care._ I love you in spite of, regardless of, because of, who and what you are.”

“I love you, too,” Emma murmurs.

“If you love me, why did you push me away?”

“I’m stupid.”

Alyssa gives a strained laugh and rests her forehead against Emma’s, her eyes fluttering closed. “Emma. Change.”

“...What?”

“Become the beast.”

“I can’t, Alyssa. It hurts too much.”

“I think you’ve gotten plenty of time,” John’s voice says, annoyed.

“Emma,” Alyssa says quickly. “You can. You have to try.”

“But-”

Alyssa kisses her sharply, then turns to face the mob. “I’ve taken my time,” she announces, walking forward. “And I’ve decided that you can’t have her.”

“That’s not an option.”

“Too bad. I picked it.”

John lifts his pistol and aims it at Alyssa’s head. “Move, Alyssa.”

“No.”

He steps closer, until the pistol is almost right up against her forehead. “Move.”

Alyssa meets his gaze, unflinching. “No.”

There’s a sharp snapping sound behind her, and she turns to see the shackles on Emma’s wrists break apart in the middle.

“What in the name of God,” John whispers, beginning to back up.

Emma lifts her head, both her eyes now gold, and Alyssa hears a growl deep in her throat before multiple things happen at once.

The chain around Emma snaps.

Emma pushes forward, slipping into her beast form, the shackles fully breaking off of her wrists within the movement.

John fires wildly.

Emma dives forward, on top of Alyssa, knocking her to the ground and taking the bullet somewhere in her back. It doesn’t even phase her as she lifts her paw off of Alyssa and stands in front of her, crouched down, baring her teeth and snarling as her claws come out and dig into the dirt.

Alyssa scrambles to her feet and sets a hand against Emma’s shoulder. “Baby, stop. I’m okay. It’s okay.”

Emma gives another growl in the mob’s direction, then sits down as close to Alyssa as she can manage, her tail wrapping around Alyssa’s feet.

“Oh my God,” Daniel says. “What the hell is that thing?”

“Her name is Emma. She’s my girlfriend, sort of.”

“You’re insane,” John splutters. “You’re _insane._ You think that thing is-”

“Mr. Philip.”

He turns his head and watches as Mrs. Greene and Hawkins walk up to the group, Barry and Dee Dee close behind.

“Mom? How did you get past the gate?”

Mrs. Greene nods at Barry and Dee Dee. “These two were helpful enough to let us in.”

“Angie’s guarding the house, mostly from some idea Trent had about a flour bomb.” Barry sticks his hands in his pockets. “Mr. Hawkins here says he has something that should appease these assholes.”

“I have three things, actually.” Hawkins gives Emma a wary look, but she just stares passively at him as he walks up to John. “First of all, if I may, I was wondering if you had thought about the incident at the Jennings farm when you made your accusation about this creature here?”

John snorted. “What about it? Sheep and chicken were slaughtered. Must’ve been something like this thing.”

“Yes, but whatever did it got in through a single broken panel of a wooden barn.” Hawkins glances at Emma. “No offense to our friend here, but she’s a bit large to pull that off.”

“She might’ve-”

Hawkins raises a hand to silence him. “Secondly, the incident at the Montero farm. The fur found in the fence was gray, not red or reddish-brown.”

John’s brow furrows. “Maybe-”

“Thirdly, there’s the incident at the Decker farm.”

Daniel shakes his head. “Sir, there hasn’t been an incident at the Decker farm.”

“Oh, there was. While you all were here.”

The men in the mob all look at each other in an awkward silence, until Edgar clears his throat and turns to address them. “Anybody want to go into the forest to look for a killer wolf?”

Everyone except for John raises their hand, and they all just mumble nonsense before hurrying for the gate.

“What are you doing?” John yells after them. He glares at Hawkins, then at Mrs. Greene. “You can’t seriously think that this… this _monster_ should get to live amongst us.”

Barry narrows his eyes and starts to step forward, but Dee Dee blocks him with a gentle hand.

Mrs. Greene gives a soft laugh. “She’s done nothing wrong. If Alyssa trusts her, so do I.”

John shakes his head slowly. “She’ll prove you all wrong. Things like her can’t help their nature.”

“We’ll see.”

“Hey, John?” Alyssa steps forward.

He raises an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

Alyssa punches him square in the face. “Don’t ever point a gun at one of us again.”

John glares up at her, but he says nothing as he gets up and follows the rest of the mob.

“They aren’t really much for apologies, are they?” Dee Dee asks dryly.

Hawkins snorts and shakes his head. “I’m not surprised.”

Alyssa feels Emma shift next to her, and she turns her head to smile. “I told you.”

Emma gives a tired nod. “You did tell me.” She wavers on her feet.

“...Em? Are you okay?”

“I’m great. Just still… Still a little shot.” Her eyes close, and she starts to fall forward, but Alyssa catches her before she can hit the ground.

* * *

Emma wakes up to the bruising pain of freshly healed wounds. “Ow,” she mutters.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

She turns her head and sees Alyssa sitting in a chair next to her bed, exhaustion and worry in her eyes.

“You got shot _four times,_ Nolan.”

“I heal quick.”

“You still pushed it this time. You passed out two days ago.”

Emma pauses. “Well, shit.” She frowns. “You’re still in the clothes I last saw you in.”

Alyssa flushes. “Yeah, well, I was worried.”

“I’m okay. You should get some sleep.”

“I will. I wanted to make sure you woke up first.” Alyssa leans back in her chair, drumming her fingers on the arm. “I, uh… Maybe we can talk first, too?”

Emma flinches. “I’m sorry. If you hadn’t been with me, you wouldn’t have been in danger in the first place, and I’m sure things at home are uncomfortable now. I-”

“Hush. Don’t you dare apologize for that.”

Emma swallows. “Then… What do we need to talk about?”

Alyssa sighs.

“Wait.” Emma closes her eyes and turns her head. “No. I’m sorry. I know what we need to talk about, I just keep trying to avoid it.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want you to be disappointed in me,” she whispers.

Alyssa shifts back forward in her chair, her brow furrowed. “Why would I be disappointed in you?”

Emma lets out a slow breath. “When I pushed you away. I… I thought I… Right after we slept together, I realized that everything about you was amplified for me. I could hear your heartbeat better, smell your scent better, just… _feel_ you better. I can’t really explain it properly. I thought it was just the full moon. My senses always go a little haywire around then.”

“But?” Alyssa prompts softly.

“But then it wasn’t the full moon anymore, and it didn’t stop. I had this… this _hunger_ every time I was around you. I wanted to put my hands on you. Wanted to touch you, taste you, feel you. I couldn’t stop it. _Can’t_ stop it. I can control myself, it’s not like that, but I… I felt so fucking guilty, Alyssa. You always liked me because I saw you for who you are in your heart, in your mind, not for your body. And now I can’t be near you without my whole being itching for the latter.”

Alyssa is silent.

Emma opens her eyes, staring at the ceiling, and sighs. “Now you know.”

Alyssa stands up and opens one of the drawers of Emma’s dresser. Emma frowns in confusion and looks at her, flushing pink and looking back at the ceiling when she sees Alyssa undressing and putting on a set of Emma’s nightclothes.

“You’re in my spot, but you’re still recovering so I’ll forgive you.”

“What?”

Alyssa climbs over her and settles against her side on the bed, resting her chin lightly on Emma’s shoulder. “Emma. Listen to me. When I said that what you are doesn’t bother me, I meant every part of it. Even the parts that don’t really make sense, even the parts that are weird or confusing or make things difficult. I love you, Emma. All of you.” She skims a playful finger up and down the front of Emma’s shirt. “Besides. It might be fun to figure out how to appease the sexy voices in your head.”

Emma covers her eyes with her hand. “Oh my God.”

“The fireplace isn’t lit, but you’re not shot anymore. We can give it a go right now.”

“I’m sorry for not telling you and for being an asshole. Please don’t torture me with this for the rest of my life.”

Alyssa sits up and pulls Emma’s hand away so she can see the grin on her face. “The rest of your life, huh?”

“Yeah,” Emma says softly. “If you give me a heart attack, that’s only going to be about five more minutes.”

Alyssa snorts out a laugh and settles back against her side. “You’re lucky I love you.”

Emma smiles and carefully wraps an arm around her to pull her closer. “I am.”

They fall asleep tangled together as a soft breeze drifts into the room, a window open to the grounds of the manor, a towering wall around it and an iron gate resting open at the end of the path.


End file.
